**Competitive Management of Sugarcane Waste and Reduction of CO2 Emissions from Harvest Burning in Supply Regions Competitive Management of Sugarcane Waste and Reduction of CO<sup>2</sup> Emissions from Harvest Burning in Supply Regions**

DOI: 10.5772/intechopen.71531

David E. Flores-Jiménez, Marcos Algara-Siller, Noé Aguilar-Rivera, Gregorio Álvarez-Fuentes, Alfredo Ávila-Galarza and Cristóbal Aldama-Aguilera David E. Flores-Jiménez, Marcos Algara-Siller, Noé Aguilar-Rivera, Gregorio Álvarez-Fuentes, Alfredo Ávila-Galarza and Cristóbal Aldama-Aguilera Additional information is available at the end of the chapter

Additional information is available at the end of the chapter

http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.71531

#### **Abstract**

Sugarcane is an important crop in more than 100 countries around the world. Their burning is a cultural activity before and after the harvest; however, pollutants and greenhouse gases emitted to the atmosphere can affect the human health and weather, respectively. The aim of this research is to report the CO2 emissions of the main countries dedicated to the cane production and explain their relevant relation with the dry matter available to the burn and how it can affect their alternative uses. The methodology used in this study identifies the relation between biomass burned (dry matter) and CO<sup>2</sup> emissions, estimated by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations with the techniques of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. The study was carried out for the period of 1990–2014. The results show an important positive trend in the increase in the annual production levels and the biomass burned during the harvest period. The high correlation between harvested area and yield per hectare in countries such as Brazil and the United States allows to have more biomass available for alternative uses. Countries such as Mexico and Colombia have a low correlation between both the parameters due to the increase in the harvested hectares and reduction of their performance per hectare.

**Keywords:** CO2 emissions, biomass burning, sugarcane, harvested area, cane waste

### **1. Introduction**

The biomass burning refers to the complete or incomplete combustion of living or dead vegetation by natural or anthropogenic causes [1]. The residual burning carried out worldwide is

© 2016 The Author(s). Licensee InTech. This chapter is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. © 2018 The Author(s). Licensee IntechOpen. This chapter is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

emitting a great variety of pollutant species and greenhouse gases such as particulate matter (PM), nitrous oxide (N<sup>2</sup> O), carbon monoxide (CO), methane (CH<sup>4</sup> ) and hydrocarbons [2], and so on to the atmosphere. The waste obtained from burning agricultural waste occupies the second place in the world (**Table 1**).

One of the crops that contribute to the increase in agricultural residues is sugarcane (*Saccharum officinarum*) and it is cultivated in more than 100 countries around the world [4]. Brazil has the first place in production, followed by India and China, while the United States and Mexico have the sixth and seventh place, respectively (**Figure 1**). This crop has a great economic and alimentary importance, for example, in 2011 it had a world production of about 1.7 billion tons [5], thanks to the variety of products such as sugar, piloncillo, alcohol and food for livestock, and so on. The sugar production and their resulting products depends of the good performance of the crop, which is in function of the saccharose and biomass [6].

The mechanisms of cane harvesting in most of the countries involve their burning before and after the cutting process to remove weeds and to scare animals and insects in harvest area. This crop, well developed, favors the economy and food supply, although it may also contain a great quantity of residues which emit a great quantity of pollutants and greenhouse gases to the atmosphere when burned. In addition, the soil health can be affected due to the loss of important nutrients such as carbon and nitrogen. If these nutrients do not recover, the yield production in the next harvest period can be negative [7, 8].

The sugarcane production per hectare (in t ha−1) let to know the countries that more burn this crop in the world due to there is a major quantity of biomass available during the harvest period. In 2009, countries such as Brazil, Australia and the United States had a yield ranges between 65 and 88 t ha−1, while in other countries such as Mexico and India had a range between 48 and 65 t ha−1 [9]. The biomass burning can also increase if there is an increase in available hectares to plant this crop. In Mexico, this situation occurs in its main cane harvesting regions [10, 11].

The quantity of biomass contained in the crop depends on their development which depends on: geographical, meteorological and edaphological factors [12], related to each other in every stage of their growth [13]; and the cane variety planted (**Table 2**). For example, the efficiency of the photosynthesis process depends on the quantity of solar radiation that affects the leaves

**Figure 1.** Cultivation area dedicated to the sugarcane production worldwide.

The production of the sugarcane is highly correlated with the harvested area as shown in **Figure 2**. There are some countries where the correlation decreases due to diminishing yield levels. For example, in Indonesia, after 2007, while the production declined, the harvested area increased; or in Colombia, where the harvested area increased while the production kept constant. In most cases, there is a positive trend in both parameters in some countries such as

Brazil RB867515 26 High cane yield; excellent performance under mechanized planting

tolerant to leaf, scald ratoon stunting disease (RSD). RB966928 <sup>10</sup> India Co 0238 Not available Subtropical adaptation; high sucrose; high cane yield; nonflowering;

China ROC22 54.8 High sucrose; high and stable ton; poor ratoon; moderately resistant to smut; susceptible to mosaic.

and harvesting; resistant to orange rust, brown rust, smut, mosaic;

nonlodging; moderately resistant to red rot; resistant to smut;

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nonlodging; moderately susceptible to red rot; resistant to smut;

tolerant to drought; very good ratooning.

tolerant to drought; excellent ratooning.

Co 86,032 Not available Tropical adaptation; high sucrose; high cane yield; shy flowering;

of the plants.

Mexico, Brazil, China and India.

**Country Cane variety Area cover (%) Characteristics**


**Table 1.** Annual global estimate of the amount of biomass burned and carbon released to the atmosphere.

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**Figure 1.** Cultivation area dedicated to the sugarcane production worldwide.

emitting a great variety of pollutant species and greenhouse gases such as particulate matter

so on to the atmosphere. The waste obtained from burning agricultural waste occupies the

One of the crops that contribute to the increase in agricultural residues is sugarcane (*Saccharum officinarum*) and it is cultivated in more than 100 countries around the world [4]. Brazil has the first place in production, followed by India and China, while the United States and Mexico have the sixth and seventh place, respectively (**Figure 1**). This crop has a great economic and alimentary importance, for example, in 2011 it had a world production of about 1.7 billion tons [5], thanks to the variety of products such as sugar, piloncillo, alcohol and food for livestock, and so on. The sugar production and their resulting products depends of the good

The mechanisms of cane harvesting in most of the countries involve their burning before and after the cutting process to remove weeds and to scare animals and insects in harvest area. This crop, well developed, favors the economy and food supply, although it may also contain a great quantity of residues which emit a great quantity of pollutants and greenhouse gases to the atmosphere when burned. In addition, the soil health can be affected due to the loss of important nutrients such as carbon and nitrogen. If these nutrients do not recover, the yield

The sugarcane production per hectare (in t ha−1) let to know the countries that more burn this crop in the world due to there is a major quantity of biomass available during the harvest period. In 2009, countries such as Brazil, Australia and the United States had a yield ranges between 65 and 88 t ha−1, while in other countries such as Mexico and India had a range between 48 and 65 t ha−1 [9]. The biomass burning can also increase if there is an increase in available hectares to plant this crop. In Mexico, this situation occurs in its main cane harvest-

 **of dry** 

Savannas 3690 1660 42.1 Agricultural waste 2020 910 23.1 Tropical forest 1260 570 14.5 Wood for combustibles 1430 640 16.2

forests <sup>280</sup> <sup>130</sup> 3.3 Carbon 21 30 1.0 Total 8700 3940 100

**Table 1.** Annual global estimate of the amount of biomass burned and carbon released to the atmosphere.

**Released carbon (Tg\***

**matter/year)**

 **of dry** 

**Total proportion of released carbon**

) and hydrocarbons [2], and

O), carbon monoxide (CO), methane (CH<sup>4</sup>

performance of the crop, which is in function of the saccharose and biomass [6].

production in the next harvest period can be negative [7, 8].

(PM), nitrous oxide (N<sup>2</sup>

86 Sugarcane - Technology and Research

ing regions [10, 11].

Temperate and boreal

1 Tg = 1 × 1012 g. Adapted from Ref. [3].

\*

**Source of burning Burning biomass (Tg\***

**matter/year)**

second place in the world (**Table 1**).

The quantity of biomass contained in the crop depends on their development which depends on: geographical, meteorological and edaphological factors [12], related to each other in every stage of their growth [13]; and the cane variety planted (**Table 2**). For example, the efficiency of the photosynthesis process depends on the quantity of solar radiation that affects the leaves of the plants.

The production of the sugarcane is highly correlated with the harvested area as shown in **Figure 2**. There are some countries where the correlation decreases due to diminishing yield levels. For example, in Indonesia, after 2007, while the production declined, the harvested area increased; or in Colombia, where the harvested area increased while the production kept constant. In most cases, there is a positive trend in both parameters in some countries such as Mexico, Brazil, China and India.



**Table 2.** Top varieties of sugarcane that cover between 30 and 50% of the area dedicated to this crop for major sugarcane producing countries.

The high- or low-correlation between the harvested area and sugarcane production can be an indicator of the good or bad treatment received by the soil in every planting period, depend-

**Figure 2.** Annual production and harvested area for the period 1990–2014 in the principal sugarcane producers worldwide. United States (a), Mexico (b), Brazil (c), China (d), Colombia (e), Indonesia (f), India (g), Pakistan (h),

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ing on the infrastructure available to keep the soils healthy in each country.

Philippines (i) and Thailand (j). The data used to realize the charts were obtained from FAOSTAT [14].

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**Country Cane variety Area cover (%) Characteristics**

88 Sugarcane - Technology and Research

Thailand KK3 53 High cane yield; high sugar; good tiller; loose leaf sheet; difficult to

smut and red rot.

smut and red rot. United States HoCP96-540 17.6 Excellent sugar yield; excellent cane yield; moderate sugar recovery;

Mexico Mex 69-290 25.4 Resistant to orange rust; brown rust; smut; leaf scald; sugarcane

Australia Q208 32.3 Widely adapted, resistant to brown rust, chlorotic streak, leaf scald,

Fiji leaf gall. Pakistan HSF-240 24.3 Subtropical adaptation; tolerant to drought and frost; moderately

LK92-11 31 High cane yield; high sugar content; good tiller; few stalk flower;

sugar borer; excellent cold tolerance. CP 89-2143 8.6 High sugar content; moderate cane yield; resistant to brown rust;

L99-226 7.7 Excellent sugar yield; moderate cane yield; excellent sugar recovery;

sugarcane borer; poor cold tolerance.

Mex 79-431 6.4 Resistant to orange rust; brown rust; smut; leaf scald; sugarcane

SPF-234 21.9 High yielding; moderate to high CCS; highly susceptible to red rot;

disease; resistant to red stripe.

Colombia CC 85-92 52 High cane yield; medium sugar yield; average self-trashing; adapted

Indonesia Kenthung Not available Moderate germination ability; moderate stalk density; sporadically

Philippines VMC84-524 16 Intermediate to yellow spot; highly resistant to ring spot; very highly

VMC86-550 11 Susceptible to smot; susceptible to Downy Mildew; highly resistant

to rust; susceptible to borer. PHIL80-13 10 Rated as sweet cane; low to medium tillering; versatile in varied soil and weather types; nontasselling.

**Table 2.** Top varieties of sugarcane that cover between 30 and 50% of the area dedicated to this crop for major sugarcane

producing countries.

heavy trichomes.

mosaic virus; scarce flowering; mid maturity.

mosaic virus; mid maturity; regular flowering.

flower; poor ratooning if serious drought; moderately resistant to

suitable for irrigation condition; not suitable for sandy soil; resistant

susceptible to orange rust; resistant to smut; resistant to leaf scald; moderately susceptible to mosaic; moderately resistant to RSD;

resistant to mosaic; susceptible to smut; susceptible to leaf scald; susceptible to brown rust; resistant to orange rust; resistant to

mosaic orange rust, red rot, RSD, smut. Intermediate-susceptible to

susceptible to red rot; resistant to rust; highly susceptible to smut; resistant to ratoon stunting disease; resistant to red stripe.

susceptible to rust; resistant to smut; resistant to ratoon stunting

to semidry zone; resistant to orange rust, smut, mosaic, sugarcane yellow leaf virus; susceptible to brown rust, RSD, leaf scald.

flowering; early-mid ripening variety; tolerant to top and steam borer; resistant to leaf scald, pokkah boeng, smut and mosaic; suitable for nonirrigated areas and regosol soil type with sufficient water resources.

resistant to red rot of the midrib; moderately resistant to red rot of the leaf sheet; slight infestation of thrips; high tillering, fast growing,

to yellow spot; very highly susceptible to yellow leaf syndrome especially in the edge of field and waterlogged areas; highly resistant

resistant to mosaic; resistant to smut; resistant to leaf scald, susceptible to brown rust; resistant to orange rust; susceptible to

susceptible to yellow leaf syndrome; no flowering.

**Figure 2.** Annual production and harvested area for the period 1990–2014 in the principal sugarcane producers worldwide. United States (a), Mexico (b), Brazil (c), China (d), Colombia (e), Indonesia (f), India (g), Pakistan (h), Philippines (i) and Thailand (j). The data used to realize the charts were obtained from FAOSTAT [14].

The high- or low-correlation between the harvested area and sugarcane production can be an indicator of the good or bad treatment received by the soil in every planting period, depending on the infrastructure available to keep the soils healthy in each country.

The sugarcane varieties used in the countries dedicated to the production of this crop have special qualities to respond efficiently to the soil and weather characteristics of every place and have important properties of sucrose and biomass availability (**Table 2**). The International Society of Sugarcane Technologists collects and periodically publishes the most recent varieties of cane in each country dedicated to the sugarcane production.

The country with the major surface area dedicated to the sugarcane production is Brazil. Their

cases, this greenhouse gas is emitted [18]. When sugarcane is burned, its variety planted plays

The average dry matter in the sugarcane ranks between 22.7 and 35.9% [19]. However, depending on the variety of sugarcane planted, it will have the real quantity of residue. For example, in Mexico, the main planted varieties have a residual fraction of 29%, from which 83% is dry matter [20].

an important role in the quantity of biomass available to be burned (**Figure 3**).

emissions are generated in harvested areas by burning and green harvesting. In both

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emissions (b) by the major sugarcane producing countries.

total CO2

**Figure 4.** Biomass burned (dry matter) (a) and CO<sup>2</sup>

The maturation period of these cane varieties is another important characteristic, which is taken into account in the moment to decide the harvesting period and the quantity of residue available to be burned. The two cane varieties of Brazil showed in **Table 2** [15] have the medium to late maturation (first variety) and early maturation (second variety), respectively; for China's varieties correspond to early maturation.

#### **2. CO2 emissions during the harvest of sugarcane in the major sugarcane producing countries**

The database used to obtain and analyze the CO2 emissions for the period 1990–2014 was acquired from FAOSTAT – Burning Crop Residues [16], whose empiric calculus depend of the Tier 1 methodology proposed by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. The main characteristics of these levels are the use of the basic information of every country, necessary to know a first estimation of the emissions of this greenhouse gas [17].

**Figure 3.** Total biomass burned during sugarcane harvest (dry matter).

The country with the major surface area dedicated to the sugarcane production is Brazil. Their total CO2 emissions are generated in harvested areas by burning and green harvesting. In both cases, this greenhouse gas is emitted [18]. When sugarcane is burned, its variety planted plays an important role in the quantity of biomass available to be burned (**Figure 3**).

The sugarcane varieties used in the countries dedicated to the production of this crop have special qualities to respond efficiently to the soil and weather characteristics of every place and have important properties of sucrose and biomass availability (**Table 2**). The International Society of Sugarcane Technologists collects and periodically publishes the most recent variet-

The maturation period of these cane varieties is another important characteristic, which is taken into account in the moment to decide the harvesting period and the quantity of residue available to be burned. The two cane varieties of Brazil showed in **Table 2** [15] have the medium to late maturation (first variety) and early maturation (second variety), respectively;

 **emissions during the harvest of sugarcane in the major sugarcane** 

acquired from FAOSTAT – Burning Crop Residues [16], whose empiric calculus depend of the Tier 1 methodology proposed by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. The main characteristics of these levels are the use of the basic information of every country, necessary

emissions for the period 1990–2014 was

ies of cane in each country dedicated to the sugarcane production.

to know a first estimation of the emissions of this greenhouse gas [17].

for China's varieties correspond to early maturation.

The database used to obtain and analyze the CO2

**Figure 3.** Total biomass burned during sugarcane harvest (dry matter).

**2. CO2**

**producing countries**

90 Sugarcane - Technology and Research

The average dry matter in the sugarcane ranks between 22.7 and 35.9% [19]. However, depending on the variety of sugarcane planted, it will have the real quantity of residue. For example, in Mexico, the main planted varieties have a residual fraction of 29%, from which 83% is dry matter [20].

**Figure 4.** Biomass burned (dry matter) (a) and CO<sup>2</sup> emissions (b) by the major sugarcane producing countries.

There is a correlation between the biomass burned (**Figure 4a**) and CO<sup>2</sup> emissions (**Figure 4b**). Brazil, India and China have the highest level of both parameters. Their magnitude order is of millions of tons, and the magnitude order of sugarcane production by country (**Figure 2**) is higher than biomass burned because the dry matter is a percentage of the crop. In every year of the study period (1990–-2014), the cane production, biomass burned and emissions of CO<sup>2</sup> have been increasing, not only by alimentary reasons but also by energetic needs reflected in the use of biomass to generate electric energy and the implementation of ethanol and its derivatives as fuels.

**3. Competitive use of the sugarcane waste**

izers (**Figure 5**) [27].

**Figure 5.** Uses of sugarcane straw [29].

**Country Pearson correlation**

**Table 4.** Correlation between the harvested area and yield per hectare during the period 1990–2014.

United States 0.54 Mexico 0.042 Brazil 0.74 China 0.40 Colombia 0.09 Indonesia −0.63 India 0.28 Pakistan 0.62 Philippines 0.44 Thailand 0.71

The sugarcane harvest can be done with or without burn. However, the ways to use the residues depend on the kind of processes involved during the cane lifting [26]. In general, the crop residues can be used as animal feeding and for energy generation. It is also used as a raw material for the production of honey, yeast, alcohol, hydrolyzed products, paper and fertil-

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Actually there is no particular database in which the available nutrients for every planted period of sugarcane can be found. However, there exists general information that can help to understand the global distribution of soils and nutrients [21]. This information is important due to the volatilization of nutrients during the burning practice in every harvested period. The IPCC's methodologies estimate the greenhouse gas emissions, although other proposals, for example, the Seiler and Crutzen methodology [22], are very useful to know the amount of carbon and nitrogen released to the atmosphere during the burning of some crops.

A particular way to identify the conditions in which the sugarcane plantation was carried out is by referencing the values proposed to identify the "aptitude levels of sugarcane." It consists of identifying the soil and weather conditions in which the sugarcane cultivation takes place [23] and relates with the production per hectare (yield).

According to this methodology implemented for the sugarcane producing regions in Mexico during the period of 1990–2014, the yield per hectare ranked between 81.3 and 92.3 t ha−1 [25]. This shows a high aptitude level for the country. It is not possible to use the same values from **Table 3** for other sugarcane cultivating countries because the edaphological and weather conditions are different.


**Table 3.** Aptitude levels of sugarcane. Proposed values for Mexico [24].
